Australian company Quickstep Holdings Ltd (ASX: QHL) says the projects include paid development work on:

• the manufacture of integrated parts in one cure cycle; and
• composite repair solutions.
  

These externally funded and partnered development programmes will be undertaken in Quickstep’s German development facility. The programme details are confidential.

These technology developments run in parallel to Quickstep’s defence contract programmes with Northrop Grumman Corporation to manufacture doors and panels for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.

Quickstep specialises in the production of aerospace-grade composite components using both conventional autoclave-based manufacturing and out-of-autoclave production technologies such as its proprietary Quickstep Process.

Quickstep CEO Philippe Odouard says these development initiatives have excellent potential to unlock significant new business opportunities for the company and form part of its strategy to commercialise its patented Quickstep Process in a range of aerospace, defence and automotive applications.

“We are very fortunate to now have a number of development projects running simultaneously, all of which provide us with valuable revenue and exposure to a wide range of potential new commercial partnerships and commercially focused development programmes,” he says.

Odouard expects further partnered Quickstep Process development programmes to be announced over the following months.

The programmes are in keeping with Quickstep’s three-part business strategy:

• contract manufacturing work;
• paid Quickstep Process development work; and
• Quickstep Process technology transfer.